Hosiery with surface indicator, and method of making same



N. ROSENSTEIN 3,324,686

HOSIERY WITH SURFACE INDICATOR, AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME June 13, 1967 Filed March 4, 1965 lic INVENTOR. O /i'ian/Ywz/iaf; BY @du A rma/v5 v5.

United States Patent O 3,324,686 HOSIERY WITH SURFACE INDICATOR, AND METHOD F MAKING SAME Nathan Rosenstein, 66 Foxcroft Road, West Hartford, Conn. 06119 Filed Mar. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 437,111 1 Ciam. (Cl. 66-187) This invention relates to hosiery provided with indicating means for enabling the wearer to distinguish readily between the outside and inside surfaces of such hosiery, and to a method of making same. While the invention pertains particularly to mens socks, it relates also to hosiery of other types, such as ladies hosiery for example.

In many forms of knitted hosiery, it is quite difcult to distinguish the outside surface from the inside surface, particularly under conditions of limited visibility.

An object of this invention is to provide an indicating means for hosiery, which means enables any person to distinguish immediately whether the hosiery is right side out or wrong side out, even under conditions of semidarkness or limited visibility.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a sock constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the outside surface thereof;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the inside of the sock `appearing in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged drawing showing the stitching in the area 111 which iappears in FIG. 2.

It will be appreciated that the specific form of hosiery shown in the drawings is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claim.

Referring now to the specific form of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, the mens sock is knitted in such a manner that there are no indicating means on the outside surface thereof. Referring to FIG. 2, showing the inside surface of sock 10, this surface has a plated area 11 formed with a yarn of different color than that of the body yarn with which it is plated. While this plated area 11 may be of any desired shape, it is conveniently embodied as -an elongated strip or stripe, preferably of a color which contrasts sharply with the color of the body of the hosiery.

It is preferred, in accordance with this invention, that the plating yarn is knitted so as to appear on the internal surface of the sock, and is substantially completely invisible from the outside surface.

FIG. 3 shows one specic manner in which the plated area 11 may be knitted into the sock. In FIG. 3, the yarn 12 is the body yarn of the sock and the yarn 16 is the plated yarn. The number 13 designates the last two courses of fabric, in which yarn 16 is plated to the inside thereof, but substantially invisible from the outside surface of the sock. The numeral 14 designates the usual looper thread formed into stitches for closing the toe portion of the sock.

As is well known, attachments are available on existing knitting machines for plating yarn, and such attachments may be readily modified, as will now become -apparent to persons skilled in the art, in a manner to plate one or more courses 13 with yarn 16 adjacent the area where the looper thread 14 closes the toe portion of the sock.

As will be apparent, yarn may be plated `at other places in the hosiery as well.

Some mens socks are knitted in the greige, while others are knitted from predyed yarns. If the socks are knitted in the greige, it is preferred to provide a method of knitting wherein a yarn 16 is plated on the internal surface of the hosiery, in the form of a stripe, which has `a different dye response than the body yarn 12, the yarn 16 covering only the inside surface and being substantially completely invisible on the outside surface. Upon dyeing the hosiery with a dye to which said yarns have such different response, a clearly visible plated `area is formed on the inside surface of the hosiery. The toe closure thread, such as the looper thread 14, is preferably approximately the same color as the color of the body yarn of the hosiery.

In the event, however, that predyed yarns are used in knitting the hosiery, yarns 12, 16 are predyed of a different or contrasting color, and thus are clearly visible. In this event, as well, the closure thread 14 is preferably approximately the same color as the color of the main body yarn 12. Also, in either event, it is preferable that the plating occurs in the terminal courses of the stocking tube, in the area where the tube is closed at the toe portion to complete the foot portion of the hosiery.

It will be apparent that this invention may be applied to hosiery of different types. For example, ladies hosiery, even sheer hosiery, have different light refractions on different sides, and this invention can be applied readily thereto. Ladies nylon hosiery is commonly knitted in the greige, and it is therefore preferred to provide the plated strip of a material which has a different dye response than the nylon. Ladies polypropylene hosiery is often predyed or solution dyed, and it is preferred to provide a plated area which has a sharply distinguishable color, as heretofore discussed.

It will be appreciated that the plated yarns of a distinguishable color may be applied to the outside of the hosiery instead of the inside, and need not be a stripe; it may be a Jacquard pattern or the like, or may be in the form of dots applied either to the heel or to the toe portion of the hosiery, or to any other desired area. In fact, the plated material of distinguishable color may -be `applied to the heel, toe, foot or even on the welt or along the very edge at the top of the welt, of the hosiery. Whether such visual indication be knitted on or sewed on or otherwise applied, 4it must however be visible from one surface of the hosiery but not the other.

While FIG. 3 discloses a looped toe for the sock 16, it will be understood that this invention applies equally to hosiery wherein toe closure is effected by sewing in a well known manner.

Although this invention has been described with reference to specific forms thereof, it will be appreciated that variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically described, and some features of the invention may be used independently of other features all without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

Knitted hosiery including a leg, heel and toe portion,

(A) said portions having wales and courses knitted of a body yarn of a selected color,

(B) at least one yarn of a distinguishable color from said body yarn plated into a plural number of terminal wales and courses of said toe portion,

(C) said plated yarn knit on only one surface of said terminal courses of the toe portion and being substantially invisible from the opposite surface,

(D) and a closure thread which is of approximately the same color as said body yarn.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Hirner 66-187 Pigeon 66-136 Roth 66-185 Allen 66-187 Holmes et al. 66-180 Lawson 66-187 Hall 66-187 Bryan et al 66--187 Slane 66-187 X Loizillion 66-202 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

RONALD FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

